The Philippine Conflicts
The Philippine Conflicts are a chain of rebellions and military campaigns. Regional instability began on September 2, 1970 with an armed Philippine revolt on the northern island of Luzon. The rebellion would eventually lead to the US retreating from Asia and for China to invade the island to prevent further Japanese expansion into the Southern Pacific. Rebellion Reasons behind Though signs had been known of agitation over the continued United States occupation of the Philippines for several decades, born out of a failure and a reversal of the decision to ease the Philippines into independence after the events of the Spanish-American war. Through the interwar years through subsequent economic instability the US Congress turned on the plans of the Insular Government of the Philippines. Forces in the US Congress grew incredibly interested in backing off the pretenses of preparing and tutoring the Philippines for independent transition and to operate as a full-time American overseas colonies. The shift in policy greatly agitated the Filipino people as a series of legislation sought to control the Philippine islands more and more through the US-imposed colonial government. Revolution Open rebellion occurred until August 2, 1970 with the storming of Fort Cando outside of Manilla. Led by an unknown leader, or simply a universal cause for independence several rebel groups stormed Fort Cando and similar bases on the island, pulling the entire island nation into conflict. In many cases, the loosely organized rebel attacks met with success and captured key positions around the islands, taking possession of American weapons and armor. This was later observed by Chinese and future Luzonian Republic troops who often capture American-made guns such as Browning Automatic Rifles and heavy equipment used by the colonial US government. The acquisition of these resources would then allow the rebel forces to continue engagement against US soldiers in Quezon city and elsewhere, initiating long and violent sieges as American units were forced into isolated positions; themselves becoming poorly equipped against a steadily rising enemy. As a response, acting president George M. Smith called Operation Hammer Storm on September 8th, 1970, deploying a sizable force of newly training Marines to the islands from California in an attempt to reassert control on the islands. The operation would arrive to the nation in vein as by their arrival off Philippine shores the rebel flag of national independence was flying over the island. At the same time, the Chinese were into their assault of the Philippines to fill the power vacuum left by an international power. Operation Hammer Storm would fall into failure against Chinese guns in the Battle of Aurora. President's Response After receiving word of the island's self-declared independence, President Smith noted to his secretaries that the islands would have no means to support themselves, and will collapse. And when they do the US will be there to pick up the pieces. To the press he never recognized their independence as a country and avowed that someday the US would return. Though in the backdrop of the North American War the message would be lost and the memory largely forgotten amid mounting crisis's at home. Chinese Invasion First War Of the Philippines/War of Luzonian Restoration '' Observing the Rebellion from a distance, the Chinese command in Beijing had noted the success of the rebellion and analyzed the threat of these new rebels in the Philippines. Fearing both a new far-right power in Asia or future prospects for Japanese expansionism command requested Hou to take the matter up with Congress. On September 15, 1970 the matter was brought up with Congress where they formally granted permission to declare war on Japan for Taiwan and to jump on the Philippines soon after. After the week long campaign on Taiwan, Chinese forces re-mobilized for Taiwan on November 26, 1970 with an immense force of 850,000. The invasion party landed on November 28, 1970 and began operations. Over the course of the invasion, the recently liberated island of Taiwan was being heavily utilized as a logistical hub while the forces left behind worked on training local communist forces. Cabantuan and Angeles were selected as early and initial operational targets to establish a strong foothold on the island of Luzon and to flush the nationalists brigades into hysteria and retreat and to cut off vital Filipino brigades in the island's north from the capital of Manilla. Come December 6, 1971 Philippine forces would come to meet the Chinese forces at Cabantaun and engage them. Fighting over the city was bitter and focused, carrying on for several days in bloody engagement. On January 27th the American military force deployed to the Philippines (having stopped in Hawaii to manage emergency repairs to the naval escort) in force to reclaim the islands and on that day their aircraft joined the battle of Cabantaun. Sparking anger from Chinese ground-forces. Command in the Philippines ordered the unknown aircraft pursued and Chinese aircraft were deployed in response, sparking the Battle of Aurora. The battle, and pressures back home pressured the American fleet to return home, ending Operation Hammer Storm. This in response to the recent Canadian invasion that was just one act of the First North American War. This act cost the American fleet dearly as they lost several ships and many hands and soldiers after the defeat. Chinese forces spent the next few days rounding up the bodies and gathering prisoners of war to ship to prison camps on the north-end of Luzon. The Chinese campaigns would quickly see the breaking of rebel forces. The harsh string of losses they suffered in Manilla and then to the very tip of Luzon broke the nationalist's resolve and they began to rapidly break down in their own factions. A civil war erupted over leadership as the nationalist forces withdrew to the island of Mindanao. After Chinese victories in Luzon, the Chinese Congress would enact the "Plan for Philippine Independence and Revolution" which called for the formation of a formal and friendly Luzonian government, independent of China but under its protection. In broader strokes it hoped to present itself as legislation more promising than American promises of independence, promising the withdrawal of a large number of Chinese troops in just over eighteen years. Under this plan, they would adapt their own government and be formally admitted to the Asian Socialist Bloc. The mission to claim Mindanao after eighteen years was also made; though this intention was not a legally enforceable promise and was actually engaged far earlier. A sizable force of Chinese forces would remain standing on the island, but would decrease in time over these eighteen years to a smaller 10,000 strong fighting force. The troops would assist in policing, defense, and training on the island before becoming a unit of partnership and trust between the two nations. Papal Response to the Conflicts The ongoing violence and instability between the original US and Philippine forces would catch the attention of Pope Constantinus II in Rome and on November 26, 1970 he asked that all Catholics on the island protest the violence with peace. Shortly after in the night, Catholics in Manilla gathered out front Cathedral-Basillica of the Immaculate Conception and protested the war with candles and flowers. Second Campaign ''Second War of Philippines/War of Fillipino Restoration On December 6, 1975 Luzonian President, Enrillo Jejomar met with Hou Sai Tang after the inaugural debate of the US to the ASB to discuss terms of a premature invasion of Mindanao. Utilizing the resources of General Shaoqiang Wuzong the president wished to invade Mindanao and unify the nation. Passing on intelligence collected by both the IB and the native intelligence branch of Luzon they concluded the state of the island deteriorate faster than expected over the last five-years. Mindanao being a mountainous island many of the inhabitants couldn't reliably feed themselves without importing, but lacking a sustainable economy there had evolved a devastating economic disproportion which lead to starvation. In addition, the formally united nationalists had splintered and broken into a series of city-states, each blaming each other for their failures in Luzon as well as resource control. This state rendering them weak and demoralized. Hou agreed to allow to cede temporary control of Chinese forces on Luzon to Jejomar and Luzon for the purpose of this invasion. On Christmas eve of 1975 Chinese forces were mobilized from the central Philippine islands for Mindanao. Shortly before a leaflet drop had been performed over the island to warn the inhabitants of the coming storm and hopefully give them hopes or to inspire defections from the critically weakened local powers. On Christmas morning the Chinese forces landed along the northern coast at Cragayan de Oro and stormed the disorganized forces there. With local communication networks damaged or mishandled there was light resistance. Though local warlords had summoned their forces to try to repel the Chinese. After initial defeats, the Mindaonese rebels began a frantic retreat to regroup with strongholds being established at Davao and Zamboagna. The New Rebel Face ''New Christ's Church of the Spanish Phillipines '' Marked by defeats that had factionalized them, the rebels had also seen the lack of action by the Vatican in Rome as a rallying force to call for a defense of the country as a betrayal of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. Forces on Mindanao as a result denounced the Church, declaring them false. Instead, they had put their faith behind a new anti-pope. A "Pope of Mindanao". Pope of Mindanao The Pope of Mindanao was a mysterious force who had rallied the remaining nationalist forces under his cross. His presence had only been made known in prerecorded orders to his forces uncovered by Chinese forces after defeating his at Malaybalay. His patrols and hit squads are known for hacking the sign of the cross into the chest of their victims. Initial contacts with his army uncovered an unanticipated and relatively unknown political force on the islands. The ultra-fundamentalist forces that thus went up against the Chinese forces were inspired by a large degree of religious zeal that compensated for their overall lack of weapons and training. July 23rd Attacks After the failed assault of Davao on July 3rd, 1977 the rebel authorities mobilized their own retaliatory strikes against the Luzonian-Chinese command bases on Cebu, Bacolod, and Manilla. The Luzonian army having suffered a shocking defeat to the city's occupants shortly after landing. In response, Chinese General Shaoqiang Wuzong assaulted General Oscar Martino which further tied the military command in legal manuevers to avoid a total diplomatic row over the assault. With the Chinese Immobilized, the rebels struck with what they had. Off the waters of Cebu city, the insurgents rendezvoused and captured a Chinese ship inbound to Cebu several days prior. Filling the engine rooms with high-explosives, they detonated the craft on the afternoon of July 23rd in hopes of damaging the city's docks. Off-board, the Filipino pirate crew commenced organized attacks on several points in the city with the expressed goal to "kill the unholy". Additional attacks were reported in Bacolod and Manilla. Cebu Attacks The attacks of Cebu opened with the hijacking of a Chinese cargo ship en'route from Macau to Cebu. The Mindanese combatants who had taken the ship laced its engine room with high explosives removed from American armories. Upon landing at the northern Cebu docks the fighters set the explosives to a charge and departed for what the dock crews held to be just a period of drinking as the dock crews unloaded the cargo. However mid-way through the ship detonated. The explosion mixed with the on-board diesel creating an immense fire-ball that scorched much of the immediate docks and killing and nearby dock hands. Emergency workers were rapidly rushed to the scene followed by the locally deployed IB agents who investigated the situation. Soon afterwards the crew of the ship dispersed throughout Cebu on an organized attempt to kill as many as possible and destroy as many structures as possible in an effort to distract Luzonian efforts or to sway opinion from the ongoing war in the south. Attacking a nearby sailor's hospital a handful of gunmen killed upwards to a hundred doctors, nurses, and patients before the IB agents Jia Tung and his partner Sheng could catch on. Reports immediately afterwards told of a string of fire-bombings several blocks west of their position. The two immediately set out and engaged gunner positions and eventually pursued the pirate crew through the city. Sheng was injured in a motorcycle injury, and rocked with a concussion was hospitalized. Jia Tung pursued the remaining groups and boarding their escape truck engaged the rebels in hand-to-hand before crashing the vehicle and capturing the leader of the group. Manilla and Bacolod The attacks of the capital at Manilla and another important military way-point to Mindanao - Bacolod - were carried out primarily through organized gun battles by insurgents planted onto the island earlier. Several cases of explosions rocked either city and the military was charged in dealing with either threat directly before moving on to assist Cebu and to clean up the damages wrought on the city. Conclusion to the War While the guerrilla-inspired attacks resolved themselves, pressures on the Church forces in Southern Mindanao broke their lines and they were forced into retreat towards their informal capital of Davao City. Prior, the religious and political leader had fled the island for French Polynesia. While he managed the escape during a Chinese blockade of the island it wasn't without notice and Chinese Intelligence Bureau agents were sent after him. The self-styled Pope had in French Polynesia mustered the support of the mercenary company named The Legion Company with the intention of sailing back to Mindanao to turn the tide of the conflict. But using the local population the Chinese agents were able to defeat The Legion Company and seize their flagship the Legionnaire. The anti-Pope himself was killed. Resistance in Davao was brief and the city fell in a couple weeks in a multi-pronged attack. The news of their spiritual leaders death further demoralized remaining brigades and they melted away over the following years as the Philippines were united. Aftermath While the enemy was defeated, for the large part the death of the anti-Pope angered the Luzonian government who hoped to put him on trial for the list of crimes committed against the people of the island of Mindanao and for his anti-government leanings. This measure they hoped would piece-by-piece destroy what legitimacy he had in his government and give to Manila a weight of legitimacy to rule the islands. His killed was considered extra-judicial. Like-wise, the personal altercations between the Chinese and Philippine command complicated the diplomacy between the nations for a short while, resulting in the removal of Shaoqiang Wuzong from command. Since the unification of the islands the government in Manilla has had to work to ammend the damages, while the cost is lessened by the assistance of the Chinese military as per official military procedure the range and cost of the social, educational, and economic reparations remain large. Category:Asia Category:Conflicts